(M) Wendy and Lucy (2008, Director: Kelly Reichardt) Grade: B+
Unlike some indie films that can be tricky to explain (i.e. Synecdoche, New York), Wendy and Lucy is surprisingly simple. Michelle Williams stars as a woman named Wendy, who is traveling to Alaska to look for work. Along the way, she loses her dog, Lucy, and spends most of the film in search of her only companion. Though simple, the film explores such themes as isolation and sacrifice in an all-too realistic way. This isn't escapist fare, and what ultimately happens to Wendy depends on how optimistic you are.